QT Hotels & Resorts is set to significantly expand after a full merger with QT Queenstown New Zealand’s nearby sister property, the adjacent 152-room EVT Hotels & Resorts’ Rydges Lakeside Queenstown hotel. The added hotel will be refurbished and upgraded to become a QT-branded property. The properties are just a 10-minute walk from each other.

Lobby © Courtesy of QT Hotels & Resorts

The transformation will fully integrate the two properties. Upon completion, the complex with be comprised of 222 rooms, the majority with guest balconies to take in the stunning Lake Wakatipu waterfront or alpine mountains.

Both QT-branded facilities seek to attract wellness and adventure travelers, and will include a state-of-the-art gym and pool with facilities catering to hikers, mountain bikers, skiers and snowboarders. The expansion will also offer guests in both venues the established, exceptional QT hospitality with bold, design-led spaces, high-quality conferencing and event facilities, and exceptional food and beverage experiences.

© Courtesy of QT Hotels & Resorts

“Queenstown, New Zealand, continues to be one of the best hotel markets in Australasia, and our two adjacent hotel properties are in a prime location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu,” said Mathew Duff, director, commercial, EVT Hotels & Resorts.

QT Queenstown will remain open throughout the upgrade as the new rooms become available in stages throughout 2026, with the overall project due to be completed in mid-2027.

© Courtesy of QT Hotels & Resorts

QT Hotels & Resorts also unleashes the ultimate indulgence with its new and improved Pup Yeah! offer, a three-night, dog-friendly stay at all QT properties throughout Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. It launched earlier this year, in celebration of International Dog Day on Aug. 26.

Every pet-appointed room is prepped with special grooming essentials, hand-baked treats and more, including a doggie duo from New Zealand’s botanical grooming label Smith&Burton of Soothing Cologne and a Waterless Foam Shampoo; hand-baked, human-grade treats from Australian luxury pet brand St Argo; gourmet in-room dining dishes, including steak tartare and bacon ice cream; and a bed from Australia’s premium pet brand CUB, featuring orthopedic memory foam.

© Courtesy of QT Hotels & Resorts

The adventures continue outside, where each QT destination features a Strut Your Pup digital map recommending the best local walks, pup-friendly parks, cafés and QT-approved photo ops. Select QT Hotels also offer a personal concierge, or director of Chaos, ready to whisk pups away for a walk.